1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector of the type in which terminals are inserted into and retained on a housing base, and the housing base is inserted into and releaseably retained on a connector housing.
2. Prior Art
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional construction of such housing base or the like, in which reference character denotes a male terminal, reference character b denotes a housing base for retaining the male terminal a, and reference character c denotes a female housing for receiving the housing base b.
A base plate portion d of the male terminal a has at one end an electrical connection portion e to which a lead wire g is connected, and also has at the other end a tongue f serving as an electrical contact portion. Formed through the base plate portion d is an engagement hole 1 in which a pair of retaining pieces i (later described) formed upright on a bottom plate h of the housing base b are adapted to be engaged.
The housing base b serves as a partition frame for defining terminal receiving chambers in the female housing c, and two pairs of retaining pieces i are formed upright on the bottom plate h, and a pair of partition walls m interconnected by a rear stop, wall k are formed upright on the bottom plate h. Terminal stop walls n are formed integrally on the front end of the bottom plate h. Flexible retaining pieces p formed integrally with the bottom plate h serve as retaining means which are engaged with engagement portions g of the housing c upon insertion of the housing base b into the housing c.
With the above construction, in use, the partition wall m is disposed only on one side of the male terminal a, and the prevention of the rattling of the male terminal a depends only on the front terminal stop walls n, and it is difficult to align the terminal. In addition, there is no means for confirming whether or not the engagement hole 1 of the male terminal a is completely engaged with the retaining pieces i of the housing base b, and each of the male terminals a has been manually attached to the housing base b. Further, the base plate portion d, having the engagement hole j for engagement with the retaining pieces i of the housing base b, is bent twice its lateral edge portions, and the base plate portion d has an increased size because of this construction.